Objetos, atores e espaços: As coleções de americana do Gabinete Salvador através de suas redes de comunicação e comércio (1669-1726)

Abstract

During the first modern age, Europe bore witness to the rise of numerous curiosity cabinets that curated collections of natural samples from across the globe. The nature of the Americas held a significant place within these spaces, shaping the scientific endeavors of those who delved into the new epistemological challenges of natural history. Focusing on the case study of the Salvador cabinet, a collection formed and maintained by a long line of apothecaries from Barcelona, this article aims to analyze how a collection of americana was formed and the many meanings that this category could assume in the communication and networks that articulated it. By analyzing the private correspondence of Joan Salvador I Riera—third generation of the family—, the aim is to demonstrate the different places that American nature occupied in his activity and collection, as well as to understand the dynamics of its articulation.